The comparison of Ben Jonson`s The Alchemist

The comparison of deuce exploits studied in the second semester of the BA English Studies degree This essay is going to realize at two makes studied in the second semester of the BA English studies degree- Ben Jonson s The Alchemist and John Webster s The Duchess of Malfl. The essay is going to look at the facial expression of both(prenominal) of these plays, considering that it has had influence on the plot of the plays. thither will be a brief prcis of the contents of plays given to be able to dispute differences and similarities of both plays and try to find reasons for them.The satire functions in both plays will also be revealed in this essay. The essay is going to look at satire functions trough incompatible themes that are revealed in both plays such as greed, gender, sexuality, social disintegration and others. looking for at these themes will again refer to the context of the plays to show how main(prenominal) it was at the m when authors created their excogitat es and what role does it play nowadays when audience rifle acquainted with these plays. When looking at any work of literature, the context of the time termination, when this piece of work had been created is real important.It tells the proofreader what was happening at the time and gives him the chance to comprehend how it ffected the work of authors. Both of discussed plays had been created in the seventeenth century which is the early new period of Europe, thusly these plays overhear specific differences from the plays that had been created earlier. There are significances of modern literature distinguishable in these plays. Seventeenth century was the zenith of Renaissance and it has been reflected in both plays. There is Italian influence observed in these plays.It has affected the language of texts, the description of settings, character names and other components of plays. References of Italy, Italian and Latin languages are used in texts. An obvious example is the pla y The Duchess of Malfl which is situated in Italy, uses Italian names for characters and includes the Italian language in the text. A number of important critical contributions over the travel decade treat Websters play as a post-Reformation phenomenon written during a more settled period of the established Anglcan Church.However, English Protestantism still found its identity in relation to the faith it had renounced, namely Catolicism, whose family unit was Italy where Webster sets The Duchess (Lucky 77). When looking at the context of the time, the economic and political conditions in he country are real important as well. The time when these two plays had been created was Jacobean England revealing a particular condition of the country. caustic remark on different themes in plays can be seen as a response to this condition. A triplex political crisis was looming. The financial needs of the go past, as inflation eroded the yield of crown lands, had increasingly through and through the sixteenth century to be met by parliament, and under James I the relationship between crown and parliament was beginning to manitest the serious tensions that were to result in the civil war Conson 9). Authors of the time were worried about the dapple in the country and thitherfore they discussed issues related to important events in their works.Another reason why they wanted to prattle about them was to inform people about what is happening in the country. As situation seemed not very comfortable for English people, authors decided to use satire to let the audience see the happening from aside. irony was also used to let the audience relax from usual stressful life and have a bit of laugh whilst enjoying the play, at the selfsame(prenominal) time actualizeing that it reveals the situation of Jacobean England. Religious office of the country plays a big role as well. England was an officially Protestant country, the citizens of which were, by law, members of the Chu rch of England. The Elizabethan religious settlement had, nevertheless, compromised on certain key issues of reform in order to accommodate those who magnate otherwise have been reluctant to accept the new religion, and also to forestall reprisals by the Catholic powers of Europe Conson 9). As changes in the religious condition of England were going on, the Religion was a very parking lot theme in Jacobean plays.Both of discussed plays include the theme of Religion. All of these current events and positions affected plays at the time because these are the things which please the audience and makes plays popular. Nothing is more important for people than what is going on around them in their lives, therefore the context of the literature work is very important. The content of both plays is quite different but there can be themes found which are discussed in both plays. This again refers to the context of the time, because themes of plays completely bet on it.The Alchemist is a st ory about three of the play s central characters, Face, Subtle and Dorothy, who have entered into a contract by which they agree to work to set outher for their mutual benefit- achieving wealthiness for all of them. The scene is set for a comedy of fraudulent characters and their potential victims. As the plot develops the trio struggle to work together because they cannot control each of their desires. The trio s unscrupulous activities stop when Lovewit, the master of the house accidentally comes back.The threesome then turn upon each other and the most accomplished trickster of all wins at the end. This is a great comedy satirising greed in Jacobean society. The comedy gives releasing ending by showing that the biggest fraudster of all wins. This is sarcasm on what happens in the real life. The Duchess of Malfl is a story of the widowed Duchess of Malfl who in secret marries her steward Antonio, despite the opposition of her brothers, Duke Ferdinand and the Cardinal.Bosola, a m alcontent courtier, is hired by the brothers to discover the secret hubby s identity, but the Duchess bears three children without anyone knowing who the father is. Later, the Duchess is imprisoned and eventually murdered, together with her maidservant Cariola and two of her children. Bosola, who has turned against the brothers, then kills the Ferdinand. The Duchess and the eldest child of Antonio survive and re of import thinking about his maternal inheritance. This play is a study of revenge, un same the comic plot of The Alchemist this is a tragic story with characters dying at the end.It seems like both of these plays are very different but looking closer, it appears that there are similarities in them. Both of the plays reveal present events of the time and both of them rib these events, they show how England as a country was seen at the time. The most significant difference etween these two plays is the genre, one ot them is a comedy, the other- tragedy, but not taking that into account, the vox populier can see that both authors have tried to address the audience in the same way, satirising the most common events of their lives in their plays.The reason of different plots of the plays is different standpoints of the authors, but the key ideas are displayed at the same way in both plays. Satire works in both of the plays through different themes. Authors use sarcasm to make plays more interesting and exciting, usually satirising domestic themes. One of the most common themes satirised in Jacobean plays was the greed. The financial situation in the country was unstable therefore everyone tried to get something better for themselves to provide their material status.People were ready to do everything to get something to hold on to and this was very oftentimes satirised in the plays. The Alchemist is a striking example of satirised greed in the play. The main aim of all the main characters of the play is to obtain infinite treasure and they are willing to undertake any obligations to reach their aim. edacity is also noticeable in The Duchess of Malfl, in characters Ferdinand and the Cardinal, because their action is the result of their greed when they confiscate the Duchess s berth and get her banished from the state of Ancona.This play shows the result of the greed when one of the brothers dies at the end, proving that plays not only satirise events but also enlightens viewers and teaches them to not allow the same mistakes as characters in the plays do. Another important theme satirised in The Duchess of Malfl is the status of women and the role of gender in the society. Woman in that period of the time was upposed to be submissive and calm, however, the Duchess went against her brother s wishes and remarried, and this is the reason of the tragedy which would not happen if the Duchess would act like she was supposed to.The play shows that women at the time had no right to have their own point of view and act without coordinati ng with men it also shows what happened if someone went against the assumed rules. Both of the plays satirises the social class governance in the Jacobean England. There are members of all social classes shown in the plays revealing the ndications of the social status. sexual practice is also satirised in plays, for example the character of Sir Epicure Mammon in The Alchemist who dreams of drinking the elixir of youth and enjoying baseless sexual conquests.All of these satirised themes show what worried authors and the audience at the time. Looking at these plays nowadays helps the learner to understand the Jacobean time period in the history of England and see what affected plays at that time. Now the reader can also call together the history of England and nowadays, see what issues had affected English literature and ow it has formed. Looking at two plays from the Jacobean time period has shown that the context of the time has had the biggest influence on the playwrights and th eir work.Even though Jonson and Webster have created absolutely different plays, they seem to reveal the same ideas. Both of the plays satirise themes that had been important at the time and are still important nowadays. Authors used sarcasm to let the audience enjoy the play but also to educate viewers about the situation in the country. Playwrights revealed very important matters in their plays like social tatuses, roles of gender and sexuality, the greediness of people and others and this shows that the audience gets both, emotional and intellectual release when construe or watching these plays.